1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for adding security or identifying data in printing.
2. Description of Related Art
Various private and government entities have sought to distinguish between original documents and photocopied documents, for example, for detecting photocopied/counterfeited bank checks or prescriptions. A microprint (a very small text) can be added to an original document as a security feature. When the original document is photocopied, the microprint may degrade because the resolution of a photocopier or scanner may be too low for reproducing the microprint. Therefore, upon examination, one can recognize that a document with a degraded microprint is not an original document.
The microprint addition techniques have used the same static text (e.g., “ORIGINAL DOCUMENT”) on each printed page. However, static microprints are predictable by nature and therefore vulnerable to counterfeiting. Furthermore, a static microprint on a printed document or page fails to provide any indication upon examination as to whether the microprint belongs to the examined page or document because the same microprint is used for other printed documents or pages. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a computer-based security data printing mechanism that varies the added security data between different printed documents or pages. In addition, there is a need for a computer-based security data printing mechanism that varies the added security data based on the contents or characteristics of a printed document or page, for allowing a document examiner to determine whether the security data is indeed associated with the printed document or page and whether the document has been altered.